Farewell?
by B. K. Siver
Summary: Cloud has always left Tifa behind, but one night, it hits him. He loves his best friend. How can he tell Tifa Lockhart, who he has known since he was a child?


Well, it's been awhile since I've written a fanfiction. I guess I've been quite lazy lately( For more like a year). I guess it's because I don't really like to write them, just read them, but people say I'm good. Oh well. Enjoy this one! I _really _love the pairing of Cloud and Tifa. But I do have ONE question: What is with the Yuffie and Vincent pairings? I mean, it's cute and all, but I haven't the slightest idea as to how or why. Personally, I thought they didn't know each other well enough. If anybody could tell me, that would be great. Maybe it's like from Ice Age 2, "She's lots o' fun, and you're no fun at all! She completes you!" Well, here it is.

**TO ALL NARUTO FANS(OR PEOPLE WHO CARE): **At the next anime convention I go to, I am going to go up on stage and say into the microphone, " I LOVE THE ENGLISH DUB OF NARUTO!" I wanna see how long it will take for people to beat me up! Personally, as long as I can watch it without subs, I'm fine with it. If you comment, give me a guess as to how long you think it will take the fans to jump me.

Tifa Lockhart has known Cloud Strife since they were children. Even then, he was not much of a talker. He would always put people at a distance, even her. As they got older, Cloud left to join SOLDIER, and they made a promise. He's kept it, but then he would always leave. The longest Tifa thinks that Cloud has stayed with her is about a week, maybe two. Denzel and Marlene miss him whenever he leaves, and it has been getting worse for him, even without Sephiroth around.

The bar was closed, and Tifa was cleaning up. Denzel and Marlene were getting ready for bed upstairs, and all was silent. What seemed like a peacegul night was disturbed by a very loud knock on the door. Actually, it was more of a pound– or three. _I can't believe that jerk didn't read the sign. _Tifa immediately thought. "We're closed!" she yelled. The pounding continued. " I said we're closed!" Tifa yelled again. The pounding went on until Tifa stomped up to the door and began to unlock it. " Didn't you hear me? I said we're–!" when she was suddenly interrupted by the surprise she saw before her: Cloud Strife.

"Cl-Cloud!" she exclaimed as soon as she opened the door, "You're back!"

He looked at her with a small smile, " "I wanted to surprise you... and see how long it would take you to open the door for me." She grinned as soon as he said that.

"Well, the kids will be happy to see you!" she said happily. " I've got an idea..." Tifa told Cloud to hide someplace where he would not be seen. " Denzel! Marlene! There's a surprise for you!" she yelled. Not even two seconds afterwards, the children ran down quicker than ever.

"What is it, Tifa?" they both asked.

"Well, I need you to close your eyes, and look down." she ordered, and they did as they were told. She did that trick were your finger goes up the person's shirt and on their nose.

"Hey!" Marlene said annoyingly.

"Alright, here's the real surprise. Close your eyes." she ordered again. This time, the children were hesitant, but listened anyway. Tifa signaled Cloud to come in and the children heard the steps of boots. Denzel was the first to open his eyes.

"Cloud! You're back!" he said with excitement, and hugged him, and Marlene did the same.

"We missed you!" Marlene said to him.

Cloud looked at the children, " I missed you guys, too." he said.

Tifa looked at the clock, it was quite late. " OK, guys, Cloud will be here in the morning, so go to off to bed." Even though they did not want to, they listened anyway and went upstairs. "They're probably too excited to sleep now." she said as she looked at Cloud.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Cloud said to her.

"Well, I'm tired, too," Tifa yawned, " Regardless if you're here, but I'm sure you're tired as well, Cloud."

" Yeah, I am." was all he replied.

_Why doesn't he talk more? _Tifa thought as they went upstairs as well.

Two days and one night passed since Cloud came back from his trip. Marlene and Denzel were getting excited: Was he going to stay for good? Tifa was smarter than that. She wanted to ask badly, how long will you stay, but of course that would be rude, even for her best friend. It killed her every night to wonder if he would be there in the morning. So far, every morning, he has.

Until the second night. Cloud put the children to sleep that night. Denzel and Marlene were sure that he was going to stay for good.

It was not until after an hour Cloud was sure they were asleep that he started to pack things up. "You're leaving again, Cloud?" Tifa asked him sadly. He did not reply, but kept packing. "Well, I've got food for you, just wait until I get it, then." she said as she went into the kitchen and to the fridge.

Cloud heard what she had said, but brushed it off. He figured that it would be easier for her if they would not say goodbye at all. Tifa heard him close the door and start the engine of his bike. She immediately fell to her knees and started to cry a waterfall of tears out of her brown eyes. It was no surprise to her, she was waiting the day or night he would do this to her.

Cloud was about to get on his bike and leave, when everything suddenly went blank.

"_You're not leaving her without a goodbye, are you?" _Aerith's voice asked him.

"_I thought_ _it would be easier for her..." _Cloud replied.

"_Well, it isn't. You should tell her your feelings before she gets 'taken' away by someone else."_

"_Feelings? What do you mean?"_

"_Silly," _she laughed, _"You love her! Tell her! All you think about is her."_

Cloud stopped and thought and shut off the bike. Did he love her? A wind of emotion hit him; He did. From when they were children, she was always by his side, and he would save her. He felt horrible for when she fell off the cliff, and joined SOLDIER to– impress her? Is that why he did it? To show that he loved her enough that he would die for her? Maybe... Aerith was right. He did love Tifa Lockhart.

Tifa got her hopes up when she heard the engine shut off, and his footsteps were getting louder and louder as they got nearer and nearer. She tried to wipe off as many tears as she could and took a few deep breaths. "What did you forget, Cloud?" she tried to say as clearly as she could.

He was quiet. How he wanted to tell her he loved her, but something completely different came out. "I couldn't leave without the food you made for me, right?" he replied to her. That was the most he had ever said that whole time he was there.

"Oh..." Tifa sighed sadly. She was looking at the ground the whole time, trying not to cry as Cloud left the bar again with the food he forgot.

" _Why didn't you tell her, Cloud?" _Aerith asked sternly

"_I... I... couldn't. I'm a coward..." _Cloud told her with shame.

"_Sometimes, in situations like these, Cloud, actions tell better than words alone."_

He came back inside again, possibly for the final time, whether he was going to leave or not. "Quit doing that to me, Cloud!" Tifa yelled in tears, "You're leaving and coming back, it _kills _me more because you keep forgetting something! What did you forget now?!"

He did not say anything.

"What, you're not talking to me? That's fine... then leave." she cried.

Cloud made the decision to walk up to her. "Tifa, Tifa! Look at me." he said as he grabbed her shoulders.

"W-w-what...!" she stuttered.

Cloud tried to do it as fast as he could. He just closed his eyes, connected his face with hers with his lips, and hoped for the best. Tifa liked– no– loved it. She had been wondering when this would happen for as long as she could remember. At last, the time had come, and she kissed him back. Cloud was surprised she did this. Of all things, he thought he would be slapped for kissing her after being such a dick to her for all the times he left. When they finally parted, both felt as though that the first kiss alone was eternal.

"Cloud...?" she dazed and he kissed her again. She loved it even more the second time, and the third, and the fourth.

" Sorry, Tifa. I... wasn't able to use words to tell you. I... love you." Cloud said as he looked down.

Tifa held up his chin. " Are you doing this because you want to, or because you have to?" she asked.

Cloud's reply was another kiss, with all his passion for her sealed in it. " I've always wanted to do this. I don't even remember how long I've been wanting to do this... to you." he breathed heavily, " I promise, Tifa, I'll never leave again."

Tifa looked at him and could see it in his aqua eyes; He meant what he said and will forever keep his promise, like the first one they made:

"_Cloud?" Tifa asked, " If you're famous and if I'm in danger, would you come and save me?"_

"_What?"_

"_Well, I've always wanted to experience that_. _Would you?"_

"_Uh, sure."_

"_Promise? With all your heart?"_

"_Yeah, I promise."_


End file.
